Metal column.



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METAL @@LUMN I Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 2'?, 1906.

Application nea septqmb'er 29.1906. serial in. 336.743.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR W. FORD, a citizen of the United States, residing .y .in Quincy, in the county of Norfolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented .a' new and useful Im rovemen't in Metal Columns, of which the ollowing is a specification.

This improvement relates to the construction of tubular or hollow columns made of steel, Wrought-iron, cast-iron, or other metal and adaptedfor supporting'loads, the invention relating more particularly to architectural columns or columns used in buildings for supporting a load-such as a roof, ceiling, or wall-indistinction from a merely ornamental column or shaft.

Theinvention has for its object to obtain and be able to utilize the maximum strength of a hollow metal column after the maximum load has been imposed thereon.

The shells of metal tubular columns of this character have been and are uniform in thickness for the full length of the column, and of -course the chamber in the column has been of even diameter throughout. These col umns, when loaded to the extreme limit,

break, of course, at the Weakest places, and in practice it has been found that the oints of breakage are usually not in the mi dle of the.column, but nearer its ends. I have found in my experience and by practical experiment that the breaking-points are almost uniformly at one-fourth to one-third of the length of the column from either its upper or lower end. Hence a column of given length which might require that its shell should be one-half inch in 'thickness at its weakest points-viz., one-fourth to onethird the distance from either end-would probably re uire a shell of about one-fourth of an inch thick at the intervening places. In my invention, therefore, I `have reinforced these breaking-points by inserting inside of the columns at such points sections of tubing approximatelya size smaller in diameter than the column, thereby increasing the strength of its weakest points to a degreewhich is e ual to the strength ofthe strongest points an have retained such tubular reinforcements in position by means of a mixture, preferably concrete made of cement and sand, placed inside the column while in-a plastic condition. It should he understood that these tubular reinforcements are necessarily non-integral with the column, as in 'the present state of the art it is impossible at any cost which is column which will be found with an integral reinforcement at its weakest points.

In the accompanying drawings, in which' similar letters of reference indicate corresponding arts, Fi re 1 is a pers ective view of a tubu ar metal ic column em odying my invention, a portion being broken out. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the same. v

a represents the shell of a hollow or tubular column, made of steel or otheil metal and of even thickness and diameter throughout. At t I have inserted short tubes d of metal and preferably of one size smaller in diameter than the column, whereby said tubes practically fit in the column at the points which I regard to be the breaking or weakest points,`

such points being illustrated in the drawings as approximately one-fourth to 'one-third the distance of the length of the column.

or bolt holes in the original column in order.l

to retain the reinforcing members in position is obviated.

It is evident if it be admitted 'that mv theory is correct that the supporting strength of the column throughout its length is practically its strength at its reinforced oints, and hence a shell of less thickness can e employed in constructing the column if it is provided at its weakest points with the internal reinforcing-tubes described and illustrated.

Havin thusfull described my invention, what I c aim, and esire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In combination with a hollow metal column for the pu ose described whose shell is of uniform thic ess, comparativel short reinforcing-tubes placed inside the coliimn at its weakest or breaking points, and a filling of a substance or compound of substantially the nature of concrete whereby said reinforcing-tubes are held in position at such poin ts.

A 2. In combination with a hollow metal coll umn for the purpose described Whose shell is `of uniform thickness, comparatively short reinforcing-tubes placed inside the column at its weakest or breaking points, and means IOCl IOS

Y IO

I for holding or supporting seidreinforcing# tubes at such oints.

3. In oomblnation with a. hollow metal eol-l umn for the purpose described Whose shell is of uniform thickness, comparativel short reinercin -tubes pleeed inside the eolilmn at points which are at distances from the opposite ends which are approximately. one-fourth to one-third of the length of the column, and a filling of a substance or compound of substantially the nature of lconcrete whereby said reinforcing-tubes are' held in position at such oints. e

4. combination'with a hollow metal column for the purpose described Whose shell is of uniform thickness, ,oomparativel short reinforcing-tubes plaeed'iside the co umn at points which arel at distances from the opposite ends which are approximately one-fourth to one-third of the length ofthe column, and

ARTHUR W. FORD.

vVitnesses:

' HENRY W. WiLLIAMs,

H. K. Hooi). 

